Accident Overview
The private pilot departed on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 cross-country personal flight en route to his remote lodge, with the sole passenger being a heavy equipment mechanic who was to work on equipment at the lodge. When the flight did not return at the prearranged time, an aerial and ground search was initiated. The wreckage was located 6 days later along the pilot's intended route, about 37 miles from the departure airport, and about 7 miles north of the pilot's remote lodge. The airplane had collided with tree-covered terrain. A postimpact fire incinerated the airplane.
Passenger Account
A friend of the passenger reported that prior to departure, at the direction of the pilot, the airplane was loaded with six 5-gallon (plastic) fuel containers of diesel fuel, a 150-pound iron stove, the mechanic's tools, several bags of groceries, and a large cooler/ice chest. The friend reported that on previous flights with the accident pilot, the passenger felt uncomfortable because, "[the pilot] would never put a seat in for him." She said that he would routinely be required to sit on a plastic bucket or a small ice chest during the flight to the remote lodge. A single seat frame, located adjacent to the pilot's station, was discovered within the burned wreckage.
Weight and Loading
The estimated gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was approximately 2,837 pounds, or about 287 pounds over the allowable gross weight.
Pilot Medical History
Family members of the pilot reported that the pilot had undergone heart bypass surgery about 3 months before the accident. At the time of the accident, the pilot did not possess a valid medical certificate. A toxicological examination of the pilot revealed the presence of Fluoxetine (trade name Prozac), a prescription antidepressant drug, whose usage is prohibited by the FAA.